Rishi Sunak ‘will win’ election senior Tory insists as new poll gives Labour-20 point lead

Mark Harper explains why the Tories can still win the election The latest tracker poll has given Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives more dire news as Labour held on to a 20 point lead only down one percent from last week. But despite the grim figures on how voters view the government, Transport Secretary Mark Harper has predicted Mr Sunak will lead his party to a shock election victory next year. The senior Cabinet minister insisrted that Labour’s lack of ideas and an improving economy would see the two parties’ fortunes reversed. But his comments came as the weekly Techne UK tracker poll gave Sir Keir Starmer’s party a 20-point lead. Labour was unchanged from last week, on 46 percent, and the Tories were up one on 26 percent. Mark Harper spoke exlusively to David Maddox Meanwhile, the Lib Dems were unchanged on 10 percent, Greens unchanged on 6 percent and Reform UK down one on 6 percent. If the poll reflected a general election then the Conservatives would have a historic low return of 121 seats while Labour would have a majority of 250, according to the prediction website Electoral Calculus. Only a third (35 percent) expressed any confidence in the Conservative government under Mr Sunak while a similar figure said they would not or were unlikely to vote. Meanwhile, less than half the Tories’ 2019 voters (48 percent) said they would still support the party at the next election. Labour led in every age category apart from 65 and over where the Tories had a one point lead of 38 percent to 37 percent. Labour are heading for a record majority SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Despite the depressing outlook for his party, Transport secretary Mark Harper remains confident of a turnaround. He told Express.co.uk: “I absolutely do think we can move the next election under the Prime Minister’s leadership. “I think we need to keep focused on the things that people care about. “So the top priority is dealing with the economic challenge about holding down inflation, about growing the economy. “If we do that people will feel better or they’ll think we’re on the right track and they’ll look forward, I think with optimism.” He added: “The government is focused on halving inflation, growing the economy, reducing debt, and then dealing with our public services. “That’s why for example, cutting NHS waiting lists is an important priority of what the Prime Minister is focused on. And I think if we do those things, we absolutely can win the next election.” On Labour he believed that a lack of policy ideas would catch up with Starmer. Trending